Transfiguration, a Pre-Resurrection Sign

Last Epiphany C March 2, 2025
Exodus 34:29-35 Ps. 99
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2 Luke 9:28-36 

Lectionary Link

The New Testament word for transfiguration is the Greek word from which our English word metamorphosis derives.

We learned this word in elementary school when we studied the life cycles of butterflies and moths.  By appearance, an egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly seem significantly different, but in fact they are only phases of the same being.  They undergo such dramatic changes that if one did not witness the changes while they happened one might say that there is a complete discontinuity between the phases.

We in our human life cycle observe the phases of human life and they too are different.  Photographs taken at different times in the span of one's life could not be proof knowing that such pictures were of the same person.  How many babies could even be identified from their sonograms?  There is apparently significant discontinuities between how people appear at different times in our life.

One of the great mysteries of human life concerns imagination and speculation about the phase of human life that we designate as the afterlife.  We presume to be superior to butterflies.  We can note that butterflies leave their objective immortality behind in the eggs which they lay for the next generation of butterflies, but their beautiful butterfly phase does not have an afterlife, except as their wings and bodies decay and transform to something else.  Humanly speaking with human presumptions about our anthropocentric importance, we love and cherish our butterfly phase so much that we would hope that this phase of how we have been constituted would have continuity beyond the grave.

The belief in the life of human metamorphosis including post-life continuity phase or phases became articulated in the New Testament writings as the way to cope with the greatest apparent discontinuity that we know in human existence, namely, death itself.

Can death be the cessation of all continuity of a being with itself?  Will I have continuity in my afterlife with the person whom I know myself to be now?

I would submit that the account of the Transfiguration, in being identified as the Light shining within Jesus, was given as a pre-Resurrection sign in the life of Jesus as he was making his metamorphosis toward death and his re-appearances in significantly different presentations in his afterlives.  Why his afterlives?  His reappearances were different for different people, because they were tailored to the experiences of the people who experienced him in his afterlife phases.

St. Paul might be one who most poignantly wrote about the transfiguration feature of the life of Christ, or the afterlives of the Risen Christ within the lives of those who experienced one of those appearances.

St. Paul said that the Risen Christ was revealed, not to him, but in him.  This indwelling Christ was the light and the energy and the down payment proof of the future resurrection of his spiritual body.  This Indwelling Risen Christ was the energy of the metamorphosis, the transforming, and transfiguring which was happening within Paul and all who invited this indwelling Risen Christ to be known within them.

St. Paul promoted this notion of transfiguration in life in his mystagogy.  He wrote that Christ was within us as the hope of glory, that is being transfigured by the holy presence of the Spirit and Lord of life.

The mystagogy of transfiguration came to be presented in the phases of the life of Jesus of Nazareth.  The story of the Transfiguration of Jesus was a presentation of Jesus meeting two other persons who had transfiguring events on mountains, Moses and Elijah.  Moses received the law on Mount Sinai and his face shone with a glow from having been within the cloudy and blazing presence of God.  Elijah experienced the fire from heaven on Mount Carmel.  These mountain events were mid-career events for Moses and Elijah and punctuated their prophetic importance, as well as their re-appearance in the apocalyptic fervor which so dominated the religious context of the Jews during the time of Jesus.  Moses and Elijah appeared on the mount of the Transfiguration to fulfill their apocalyptic roles and affirm Jesus as the logical successor in the train of the law and the prophets.  Jesus was an ending and a beginning; ending of a phase of the law and the prophets, and the beginning of a significant new way for God to be manifestly known to more people in the world.

The Gospels present the transfiguration phases of the life of Jesus as mystical teaching for us anticipate transfiguration energy in our lives which counters the devolving process of the apparent entropy which ends in death.  Just as the transfiguration was a sign of the ultimate triumph of the inward life Jesus in his resurrection reappearances, so too, the Holy Spirit is the sign of the counter life to the entropy of death which will result in our afterlives as our future selves, beyond our selves that we know in this life.

Let us accept the hope narrative of the transfiguration as we defy the seeming demise of our earthly appearances, with vision of what the hope implant within us might ultimately be.

Jesus was transfigured, so that we too might embrace the transfigured life as proof that energy never dies, it only undergoes constant change.  Today, let us embrace with the faith of the transfiguration life and ponder what we might yet be in our future.  Amen.

Sunday School, March 2, 2025 Last Sunday after the Epiphany C

  Sunday School, March 2, 2025  Last Sunday after the Epiphany C

Themes:

The last Sunday before the Lenten fast from the word Alleluia.

Saving this special word of celebration for the Easter celebration.  During Lent we do not use this special word of celebration.

Event: Make a “mock” coffin and put the word “Alleluia” in it and put it in a “burial place” for Lent.

Other themes:

Mountain tops in the geography of the Bible.  Important things happened on the tops of mountains.

The Story of Moses:  He received the Law, the 10 Commandments on Mount Sinai.  When he received the Law, he got so close to God that his face shone.  Mount Sinai was covered with clouds so that people could not see the presence of God.

Elijah had special experiences on top of mountains.  On Mount Carmel, he challenged the prophets of the god Baal.  And the God of Elijah sent down fire from heaven.  When Elijah was in a Mountain cave, he had a special experience of God speaking to him in a “still small voice.”

Moses and Elijah had special endings to their lives on earth.  Moses had an unwitnessed death and God buried Moses.   Elijah was carried away into heaven on the chariots of fire.  So Moses and Elijah were like “space men.”  They could travel back and forth from the heavenly space to the earthly space.  So Moses and Elijah met with Jesus and three of his disciple on the Mount of Transfiguration.  In this special event, the voice of God declared Jesus to be God’s chosen Son.  This declaration was witnessed by Moses, Elijah, Peter, James and John.

Mountains are the highest places on earth.  They symbolize the place where earth touches the sky.  They symbolize the event of the God experience of men and women.

Each of us has a “mountain top” within us where God meets us and shows us how important Jesus is to our lives.

Sermon

Today the Last Sunday of the Season of Epiphany.  And it is also called transfiguration Sunday.

  We have read the story about how the face of Jesus shone very bright.  And we have made some sunshine haloes to wear today to remember the transfiguration of Jesus.

  Do you think that you could ever make your face shine like a light bulb?

  Let’s try something.  Let us try to make our faces look real sad.  Can you do that?  And what if we walked around all of the time with sad faces?  Would you like that?  No, the world would seem dark, if we had to have sad faces all of the time.

  Okay, let switch.  Let make happy faces and faces of surprise and excitement.  Isn’t that better?  When we have faces of happiness, joy and gladness, doesn’t it make it seem as though our faces are shining?

  When do you have a happy face?  When good things happen to you.  When some one is kind and nice to you.  We smile and we get happy.  When we are happy our face is full of light.

  So we should learn to make our faces shine with happiness.  And we should learn how to make the faces of other people shine with joy and happiness.

  The word Gospel means good news.  To receive the good news about God’s love makes us happy.  It makes our faces shine.  And there are many people who help us to have good news in our lives.

  But getting good news and being happy is not enough.  We need to do something else.  We need to learn how to make the faces of other people shine with happiness.  How can we do that?

  By being kind.  By helping.  By loving.

  When you play nicely with your friends and brothers and sisters, you make them happy.  You make your parents happy when you help with house work.  You make your parent happy when you study hard.  And your parents love to make you happy by doing nice things for us.

  So remember today, the Transfiguration of Jesus when his face shone with a bright light.

  We too can have faces that shine with happiness and joy because of the good things in our life.  And also we can help the faces of other people shine with happiness and joy as we practice love and kindness.

  Okay let me see your best happy face!  Wow is room getting bright.  I’m going to have to put on my sun glasses. 

Intergeneration Family Service with Holy Eucharist

March 2, 2025: The Last Sunday after the Epiphany C

Gathering Songs: Climb up Sunshine Mountain; Shine, Jesus, Shine; You are My All in All; Awesome God

Liturgist: Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

People: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever.  Amen.

Liturgist:  Oh God, Our hearts are open to you.

And you know us and we can hide nothing from you.

Prepare our hearts and our minds to love you and worship you.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Song: Climb, Climb up Sunshine Mountain (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 30)

Climb, climb up sunshine mountain heavenly breezes blow.  Climb, climb up sunshine mountain faces all aglow.  Turn, turn from sin and doubting, look to God on high.  Climb, climb up Sunshine Mountain, you and I.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

O God, who before the passion of your only­ begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Litany of Praise: Chant: Alleluia

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia

O God, you have made us! Alleluia

O God, you have made yourself known to us!  Alleluia

O God, you have provided us with us a Savior!  Alleluia

O God, you have given us a Christian family!  Alleluia

O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia

O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead!  Alleluia

Liturgist: A reading from the Book of Genesis

Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 99

The LORD is great in Zion; * he is high above all peoples.

Let them confess his Name, which is great and awesome; * he is the Holy One.

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

Litanist:

For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to God!

For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!

For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks be to God!

For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!

For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!

For work and for play. Thanks be to God!

For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!

For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!

For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of our friends and parish family.

   Thanks be to God!

Liturgist:         The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

About eight days after Peter had acknowledged Jesus as the Christ of God, Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"--not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Father Phil

Children’s Creed

We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father is the maker of the world.

Since God is so great and we are so small,

We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary.

We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the life, death and

     resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy Spirit.

We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church where everyone is

     welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.

And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve us forever.  Amen.

Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy.

For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.

For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.

For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have mercy.

For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have mercy.

For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have mercy.

For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.

Youth Liturgist:          The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

People:                        And also with you.

Song during the preparation of the Altar and the receiving of an offering

Offertory Hymn: Shine, Jesus Shine (Renew! # 247)

Lord the light of your love is shining, in the midst of the darkness shining. Jesus, light of the world, shine upon us. Set us free by the truth you now bring us. Shine on me.  Shine on me.

Refrain: Shine Jesus Shine, fill this land with the Father’s glory.  Blaze, Spirit, blaze set our hearts on fire.  Flow, rivers, flow, fill the nations with thy grace and mercy.  Send forth your word, Lord, and let there be light.

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below.

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Prologue to the Eucharist

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong the kingdom of heaven.”

All become members of a family by birth or adoption.

Baptism is a celebration of birth into the family of God.

A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.

The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts.  Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all of the world that we see and don’t see, we forever sing this hymn of praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might.  Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 

Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.

All may gather around the altar

The Celebrant now praises God for the salvation of the world through

Jesus Christ our Lord.

Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;

You have made us in your image

And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:

Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachael.

And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph

And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.

Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat

  the bread and drink the wine, we can  know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as  

  this food and drink  that becomes a part of us.

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Sanctify us by your Holy Spirit so that we may love God and our neighbor.

On the night when Jesus was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, "Drink this, all of you. This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Father, we now celebrate the memorial of your Son. When we eat this holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the life, death and resurrection of Christ and that his presence will be with us in our future.

Let this holy meal keep us together as friends who share a special relationship because of your Son Jesus Christ.  May we forever live with praise to God to whom we belong as sons and daughters.

By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory

 is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now sing,

(Children rejoin their parents and take up their instruments)

Our Father: (Renew # 180, West Indian Lord’s Prayer)

Our Father who art in heaven:  Hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done: Hallowed be thy name.

Done on earth as it is in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.

Give us this day our daily bread: Hallowed be thy name.

And forgive us all our debts: Hallowed be thy name.

As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.

Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.

But deliver us from evil: Hallowed be thy name.

Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory: Hallowed be thy name.

Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant:       Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!

Words of Administration

Communion Hymn: You are My All in All (WR#427)

You are my strength when I am weak, you are the Treasure that I seek, you are my All in All. Seeking you as a precious jewel, Lord, to give up I’d be a fool, you are my All in All! Jesus, Lamb of God, Worthy is your name. Jesus, Lamb of God, Worthy is your name.

Post-Communion Prayer

Everlasting God, we have gathered for the meal that Jesus asked us to keep;

We have remembered his words of blessing on the bread and the wine.

And His Presence has been known to us.

We have remembered that we are sons and daughters of God and brothers

    and sisters in Christ.

Send us forth now into our everyday lives remembering that the blessing in the

     bread and wine spreads into each time, place and person in our lives,

As we are ever blessed by you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Closing Song: Awesome God (Renew! # 245)

Our God is an awesome God, he reigns from heaven above, with wisdom, power and love.

(Sung three times)

Dismissal:   

Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ. 

People: Thanks be to God! 

Transfiguration: Event and Spiritual Process

Last Epiphany C February 27, 2022
Exodus 34:29-35 Ps. 99
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2 Luke 9:28-36
Lectionary Link



Did your elementary school science teacher ever say, "Okay, class today we are going to study the life cycle of a cocoon?  Of a pupa?  Of a larva?  Of a caterpillar?"  No, it is always the life cycle of a butterfly.  Why is that?  Probably, it is because the butterfly represents the most adult phase of the cycle even though we know that a butterfly is also just a phase to lay eggs and die.

The story about baby Jesus would not have been written if Jesus had not had the butterfly phase that we call the resurrection experience of him by his disciples and followers.

We know that like the preface for Requiem Mass says, "life is changed, not ended," because perpetual cycle and metamorphosis is descriptive of our lives.  What does metamorphosis imply?  Life continuity with significant changes because of time.  Baby Jesus is Jesus, just like Transfiguration Jesus, but there is significant difference and change because of time.

In our life of faith, we may say that "Life is changed, not ended," but we know that we grieve the losses of phases of our lives and the people who have been in them.   We can be honest about saying we prefer life to death, even if we have come to believe that death is but a change and not an end.

The reason that I speak about the language of metamorphosis, is because the Greek word for transfiguration is the word in English, metamorphosis.  This word sums up two notions; a highlighted event in the phases of the life of Christ, but also the entire mystical process of the life of Christ for Jesus of Nazareth and for us who have experienced the post-resurrection phase of the life of Christ.

Looking at the metamorphosis of Jesus Christ, at his transfigurations, one can note certain butterfly events in his cycle: His birth, his baptism with the dove and voice from heaven, his transfiguration on the mountain with clouds and lights and the voice from heaven, his resurrection appearances to his disciples, his glorification in the heavenly realm known by his many reappearances to people in many ways through the work of the Holy Spirit.  I would like to call these not "reappearances" but re-apparencies, that is in reference to the many ways which Christ has become apparent to us that are not the same as the visual appearances experienced by the disciple

The highlight moments of Jesus are compared with the highlight moments from the great stories in the Hebrew Scriptures; the shiny faced Moses on Mt. Sinai when he received the law from God, the fire from heaven for Elijah on Mt. Carmel, and the still small voice to Elijah in the mountain cave.

The mount of transfiguration was a butterfly moment for Jesus, but it was more important for the disciples who witnessed it.  It became a teaching moment for Peter, James, and John who were Jews.  In this visionary event they witnessed two of the greatest figures of their own tradition, Moses and Elijah, with Jesus.  What does this mean?  This means that Jesus was in succession with the great prophets but he had a surpassing difference.  Did the heavenly voice say about Moses or Elijah, "This is my chosen Son, listen to him?"  Among Moses, Elijah, and Jesus, the heavenly voice only said to Jesus, "This is my chosen Son, listen to him."

The purpose of the transfiguration account is to establish Jesus as the successor of the traditions of the law and the prophets, as signified by the presence of Moses and Elijah.  Jesus had a butterfly moment, but not for himself, but for those who were seeing the nature of Jesus revealed to them.  It was a foretaste of how they would see him again in his post-resurrection life.

Yes, Jesus was transfigured on the mountain.  But Jesus and the disciples did not live in a continuous visionary high.  What did they do?  They descended the mountain to find people in the real world who were tormented by inward forces of darkness that had to be expelled by the holy sanity of Jesus the people whisperer.

Let us remember that transfiguration is both the events of our highest vision but it is also expressive of the entire spiritual process of transformation.  A butterfly includes in it the egg, the larva, the caterpillar, the cocoon, and the potential regeneration in the next generation in being able to lay birthing eggs of the future.

This process of transfiguration is what we are in.  We rely upon the visionary moments of our greatest insights to carry us from one mountaintop, and then down in the valley, to make our way toward the next mountain top of spiritual insight.

Transfiguration is both the entire process, but also the individual moments of highest insights where our spiritual maturity is given advancement.  And in those high moments, we are to remember, because we need them to get us through the continual cycle of spiritual growth.

The Gospel for us is that we have transfigured events with Christ, as markers of the entire process of spiritual transfiguration which we are called to go through because we have been baptized into an identity with Christ.

We end the season of Epiphany with a spiritual high, and we need to remember that, because next week, we will be with Jesus, tempted in the wilderness of the apparent absence of God's help.

Let us recommit ourselves to this wonderful journey of transfiguration that we are on.  And thank God for the spiritual highs, because we need them when the journey seems dark.

And to prepare ourselves for our Lenten journey, and our Lenten fast from the ecstatic Alleluias, let us say loudly three times.  Alleluia.   Amen.

Lectionary Link
Have you ever done an honest axiology review of your life? You might say, "Well, I don't know. Depends upon what axiology means." Axiology is a study of values. Have you done a Values Review of your life? In a general sense we know that our values are expressed in how we use the time, talent and treasure of our lives. But how can one do a more thorough and explicit value review? An honest value review. We can sometimes be like those who answer the poll questions with the politically correct answers which betray what we really feel or believe.
How can one do an honest axiology review? It does no good to say our values are what we wish them to be if our current life is not expressive of those desired ideal values. To do an honest value review, I suggest people do in private their own top 10 lists. What are the best 10 things that have happened to you? What are your top ten favorite things to do? Who are the 10 most influential persons in your life? Who are the 10 people you have loved the most in your life? What are the 10 top ideas which have influenced you or changed your life.
By doing these top 10 lists we can attain an honest distribution of our real values because our values are truly reflected in how the desires and loves of our lives are projected upon the people, things, ideas and activities of our lives. And if we can do a personal axiological review, what about doing one on our parish community? What are the true values of St. John the Divine as a community?
The entire New Testament was written because continuous groups of people came to value the life, ministry and the continuing witness of Jesus Christ. The early Christian embedded the ways in which they valued Jesus in the stories which they shared about him. And in sharing their stories they had their own top 10 lists of valued people. Who did the contemporaries of Jesus value? They valued the living; they valued John the Baptist. But they also valued people in their tradition, the great figures who had given them their community identity. Who were these great people? Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Samuel, Deborah, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Elijah, Elisha, Ezekiel, Nehemiah and Ezra. And when times are really bad what does one wish for? One has a nostalgia for people who are like the great people of the past to return and bring back the order of life that was represented by these great people. And what happens when one meets the new person of value, the new love of one's life. The new love is so special and beyond comparison and one waxes poetic to speak about a special person, but one also has to use comparison to speak about the surpassing greatness of the one who is the new love of one's life.
The early Christians were in love with Jesus Christ. They could be said to be "madly" in love with Jesus. And they inherited comparative ways to speak about how much they valued Jesus. The used the poetic comparative forms to speak about Jesus. They compared him with other great people. They used geographical metaphors, metaphors from physics and metaphors from weather and climate.
A common metaphor for a superlative experience is to say, "it was a mountain top experience." This is a common expression whether one is speaking about a religious experience or whether a hippie is praising a pharmacological event. Mountain top experiences have biblical bases. Moses and Elijah were mountain men; they were regarded to be people who went to the highest human experiential places where the natural met the spiritual and the two became so mingled that experience became fuzzy and cloudy and yet within the mingling of natural and spiritual there occurred the experience of light. For the spiritual experiences of highest value the Gospel writers used the familiar poetic metaphors of the geography of mountain top, the physics of light, and the weather and climatic effects of clouds to extol the value of the experience.
Christians came to know the value of Jesus; he was valued more than the law of Moses; he was valued more than the prophetic witness of Elijah. The followers of Jesus fell in love with him and this love determined his value to their lives. This love of Jesus shared within their community created an effervescence which resulted in the creation and maintenance of communities of "lovers of Jesus Christ." The New Testament is the literature which derived from the communities of people who came to love Jesus Christ.
The Gospel story of the Transfiguration is a story of the superlative axiology or value of Jesus Christ to the people who were completely taken by Him. And why is the word Transfiguration important? Transfiguration is a translation of the Greek word from which derives the English word metamorphosis.
What does love do to a person? Love transforms the person. It can make one "bat silly" and irrational. Love of the Risen Christ is the power which drives Christian metamorphosis, Christian transfiguration and spiritual transformation.
What is the one of the results of conducting an honest value survey? Self-disillusionment. Now that I am honest about the things which I value, how do I change some of the habitual value behaviors which I seem to be so programmed to follow?
In the experience of self disillusionment about some of our inferior values which control our lives, we come to know that we always need the intervention of the power of the One with the Highest Values. And this is when we experience the need to be in Love of Jesus Christ because that love attraction is the experience of the Higher Power which is going to drive our metamorphosis into the Christly values which we do not yet fully express in our lives.
The story of the Transfiguration of Jesus is the story of the love which the early Christians had for Jesus; they believed that their love for Jesus could drive the continuous transformation, transfiguration, metamorphosis of their lives toward the higher values which could help in the continuous process of surpassing of themselves in future states.
Today, we are welcomed to the transfiguration of our lives through our love of Jesus Christ. May this love always beckon us to higher values as we seek to surpass ourselves in future states. Amen.

Sunday School, February 27, 2022 Last Sunday after the Epiphany C

 Sunday School, February 27, 2022  Last Sunday after the Epiphany C

Themes:

The last Sunday before the Lenten fast from the word Alleluia.

Saving this special word of celebration for the Easter celebration.  During Lent we do not use this special word of celebration.

Event: Make a “mock” coffin and put the word “Alleluia” in it and put it in a “burial place” for Lent.

Other themes:

Mountain tops in the geography of the Bible.  Important things happened on the tops of mountains.

The Story of Moses:  He received the Law, the 10 Commandments on Mount Sinai.  When he received the Law, he got so close to God that his face shone.  Mount Sinai was covered with clouds so that people could not see the presence of God.

Elijah had special experiences on top of mountains.  On Mount Carmel, he challenged the prophets of the god Baal.  And the God of Elijah sent down fire from heaven.  When Elijah was in a Mountain cave, he had a special experience of God speaking to him in a “still small voice.”

Moses and Elijah had special endings to their lives on earth.  Moses had an unwitnessed death and God buried Moses.   Elijah was carried away into heaven on the chariots of fire.  So Moses and Elijah were like “space men.”  They could travel back and forth from the heavenly space to the earthly space.  So Moses and Elijah met with Jesus and three of his disciple on the Mount of Transfiguration.  In this special event, the voice of God declared Jesus to be God’s chosen Son.  This declaration was witnessed by Moses, Elijah, Peter, James and John.

Mountains are the highest places on earth.  They symbolize the place where earth touches the sky.  They symbolize the event of the God experience of men and women.

Each of us has a “mountain top” within us where God meets us and shows us how important Jesus is to our lives.

Sermon

Today the Last Sunday of the Season of Epiphany.  And it is also called transfiguration Sunday.

  We have read the story about how the face of Jesus shone very bright.  And we have made some sunshine haloes to wear today to remember the transfiguration of Jesus.

  Do you think that you could ever make your face shine like a light bulb?

  Let’s try something.  Let us try to make our faces look real sad.  Can you do that?  And what if we walked around all of the time with sad faces?  Would you like that?  No, the world would seem dark, if we had to have sad faces all of the time.

  Okay, let switch.  Let make happy faces and faces of surprise and excitement.  Isn’t that better?  When we have faces of happiness, joy and gladness, doesn’t it make it seem as though our faces are shining?

  When do you have a happy face?  When good things happen to you.  When some one is kind and nice to you.  We smile and we get happy.  When we are happy our face is full of light.

  So we should learn to make our faces shine with happiness.  And we should learn how to make the faces of other people shine with joy and happiness.

  The word Gospel means good news.  To receive the good news about God’s love makes us happy.  It makes our faces shine.  And there are many people who help us to have good news in our lives.

  But getting good news and being happy is not enough.  We need to do something else.  We need to learn how to make the faces of other people shine with happiness.  How can we do that?

  By being kind.  By helping.  By loving.

  When you play nicely with your friends and brothers and sisters, you make them happy.  You make your parents happy when you help with house work.  You make your parent happy when you study hard.  And your parents love to make you happy by doing nice things for us.

  So remember today, the Transfiguration of Jesus when his face shone with a bright light.

  We too can have faces that shine with happiness and joy because of the good things in our life.  And also we can help the faces of other people shine with happiness and joy as we practice love and kindness.

  Okay let me see your best happy face!  Wow is room getting bright.  I’m going to have to put on my sun glasses. 

Intergeneration Family Service with Holy Eucharist

February 27, 2022: The Last Sunday after the Epiphany C

Gathering Songs: Climb up Sunshine Mountain; Shine, Jesus, Shine; You are My All in All; Awesome God

Liturgist: Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

People: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever.  Amen.

Liturgist:  Oh God, Our hearts are open to you.

And you know us and we can hide nothing from you.

Prepare our hearts and our minds to love you and worship you.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Song: Climb, Climb up Sunshine Mountain (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 30)

Climb, climb up sunshine mountain heavenly breezes blow.  Climb, climb up sunshine mountain faces all aglow.  Turn, turn from sin and doubting, look to God on high.  Climb, climb up Sunshine Mountain, you and I.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

O God, who before the passion of your only­ begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Litany of Praise: Chant: Alleluia

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia

O God, you have made us! Alleluia

O God, you have made yourself known to us!  Alleluia

O God, you have provided us with us a Savior!  Alleluia

O God, you have given us a Christian family!  Alleluia

O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia

O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead!  Alleluia

Liturgist: A reading from the Book of Genesis

Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 99

The LORD is great in Zion; * he is high above all peoples.

Let them confess his Name, which is great and awesome; * he is the Holy One.

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

Litanist:

For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to God!

For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!

For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks be to God!

For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!

For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!

For work and for play. Thanks be to God!

For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!

For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!

For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of our friends and parish family.

   Thanks be to God!

Liturgist:         The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

About eight days after Peter had acknowledged Jesus as the Christ of God, Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"--not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Father Phil

Children’s Creed

We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father is the maker of the world.

Since God is so great and we are so small,

We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary.

We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the life, death and

     resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy Spirit.

We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church where everyone is

     welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.

And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve us forever.  Amen.

Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy.

For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.

For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.

For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have mercy.

For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have mercy.

For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have mercy.

For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.

Youth Liturgist:          The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

People:                        And also with you.

Song during the preparation of the Altar and the receiving of an offering

Offertory Hymn: Shine, Jesus Shine (Renew! # 247)

Lord the light of your love is shining, in the midst of the darkness shining. Jesus, light of the world, shine upon us. Set us free by the truth you now bring us. Shine on me.  Shine on me.

Refrain: Shine Jesus Shine, fill this land with the Father’s glory.  Blaze, Spirit, blaze set our hearts on fire.  Flow, rivers, flow, fill the nations with thy grace and mercy.  Send forth your word, Lord, and let there be light.

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below.

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Prologue to the Eucharist

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong the kingdom of heaven.”

All become members of a family by birth or adoption.

Baptism is a celebration of birth into the family of God.

A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.

The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts.  Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all of the world that we see and don’t see, we forever sing this hymn of praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might.  Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 

Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.

All may gather around the altar

The Celebrant now praises God for the salvation of the world through

Jesus Christ our Lord.

Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;

You have made us in your image

And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:

Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachael.

And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph

And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.

Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat

  the bread and drink the wine, we can  know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as  

  this food and drink  that becomes a part of us.

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Sanctify us by your Holy Spirit so that we may love God and our neighbor.

On the night when Jesus was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, "Drink this, all of you. This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Father, we now celebrate the memorial of your Son. When we eat this holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the life, death and resurrection of Christ and that his presence will be with us in our future.

Let this holy meal keep us together as friends who share a special relationship because of your Son Jesus Christ.  May we forever live with praise to God to whom we belong as sons and daughters.

By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory

 is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now sing,

(Children rejoin their parents and take up their instruments)

Our Father: (Renew # 180, West Indian Lord’s Prayer)

Our Father who art in heaven:  Hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done: Hallowed be thy name.

Done on earth as it is in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.

Give us this day our daily bread: Hallowed be thy name.

And forgive us all our debts: Hallowed be thy name.

As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.

Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.

But deliver us from evil: Hallowed be thy name.

Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory: Hallowed be thy name.

Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant:       Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!

Words of Administration

Communion Hymn: You are My All in All (WR#427)

You are my strength when I am weak, you are the Treasure that I seek, you are my All in All. Seeking you as a precious jewel, Lord, to give up I’d be a fool, you are my All in All! Jesus, Lamb of God, Worthy is your name. Jesus, Lamb of God, Worthy is your name.

Post-Communion Prayer

Everlasting God, we have gathered for the meal that Jesus asked us to keep;

We have remembered his words of blessing on the bread and the wine.

And His Presence has been known to us.

We have remembered that we are sons and daughters of God and brothers

    and sisters in Christ.

Send us forth now into our everyday lives remembering that the blessing in the

     bread and wine spreads into each time, place and person in our lives,

As we are ever blessed by you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Closing Song: Awesome God (Renew! # 245)

Our God is an awesome God, he reigns from heaven above, with wisdom, power and love.

(Sung three times)

Dismissal:   

Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ. 

People: Thanks be to God!